KIRKLAND -- In a day where the glass was half full at Seahawks headquarters, despite the team's 0-2 start, holdout Pro Bowl offensive tackle Walter Jones suddenly showed up and signed a tender offer that could revitalize the dormant Seahawks running game.

Jones, weighing 326 pounds, has a two-week roster exemption to get back into playing shape after missing all of training camp, the preseason and the first two games of the season.

His appearance yesterday was announced by coach and general manager Mike Holmgren during his news conference to discuss the team's 24-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Jones signed the $4.92 million offer the club made in February, when it designated the six-year veteran from Florida State the team's franchise player. Now that he has signed the offer, the club and Jones can negotiate a long-term contract, which Holmgren said he "always wanted to do for him."

Jones, 28, who started all 16 games at left tackle last season, has started 69 consecutive regular-season games. He would like to be ready for the road game this Sunday against the New York Giants.

"I feel good, I'm glad I'm back, and hopefully we can get something done here," Jones said after working out with the team in running drills for the first time in nine months, since the end of the 2001 season.

Jones, who had been negotiating through agent Roosevelt Barnes, was seeking a higher signing bonus than the Seahawks were willing to offer, and a higher average on a long-term deal. The Seahawks' offer was six years for $36 million, with a $12 million signing bonus, while Barnes reportedly wanted a $16 million signing bonus and a seven-year, $59.1 million package for Jones.

"That's the business side of it, and hopefully things get settled," Jones said of negotiations that can begin again, now that he's back with the team.

Holmgren said the Seahawks simply could not offer more money, and he had no explanation for why the holdout ended.

"Our rules are set," Holmgren said. "Why he decided to come in and sign the tender now, instead of two weeks ago, I don't know. . . . I'm glad he's in. We missed him. He's a great football player. We need him, and this is the first step."

With the Seahawks refusing to budge, Jones said he got tired of not being with the team, and called in to report after Sunday's loss to the Cardinals.

"I just wanted to come back and help the team, any way I can, to get a victory," Jones said. "That's my only reason to come back, and I missed the guys. This is what I do, and I just wanted to come on back."

Jones, who has been working out on his own to try to stay in shape, believes he will be able to move right into the starting lineup. He said he has been running and trying to simulate some of the drills the linemen do in training camp.

"But you can do all that, and it still doesn't get you ready, or in football shape," he said. "Hopefully, I can do it in a week's time."

"Every time you see him, he's smiling," Hutchinson said. "You walk into the locker room after watching the film (from Arizona) and you see Walter smiling, that's a lift. Everybody has been anticipating his return."

Hutchinson and other linemen have a host of jokes saved up for Jones that they started preparing in training camp. Other than the conditioning he'll have to go through, he's likely to take some ribbing from his teammates.

"I'm sure for a couple of weeks, he won't be in the best shape," Hutchinson said.

All kidding aside, the offensive line could use more depth, with Boise State rookie Matt Hill being thrust into action in the preseason and right tackle Chris McIntosh on injured reserve and out for the season, thanks to the neck stinger that hampered his 2001 season.

"Even though we had some guys in there who were holding their own, we weren't very deep," Hutchinson said.

Quarterback Trent Dilfer was thrilled to see No. 71 back on the field.

"He's part of the puzzle," Dilfer said. "You want to have all your guns a-blazing when you go into battle, and we just got one of them back."

GOOD AND SORE: Dilfer was sore yesterday after his first full game since recovering from a sprained knee, but the aches and pains were somewhat of a welcome relief after sitting out for five weeks.

"To throw the ball that much, you expect to take a beating," Dilfer said. "But really, I didn't. I took only one real hard hit, and that wasn't too bad. I have some soreness, mainly because I didn't get hit in the preseason. . . . You use the preseason to get used to getting hit again."

Dilfer said he throws so much during the week that throwing so many passes in a game doesn't hurt his arm.

Looking to find some positives in the 0-2 start, Holmgren singled out Dilfer as earning his confidence through his performance on Sunday. But both Holmgren and Dilfer were critical about the team's production in the red zone, where the Seahawks converted one of four attempts.

"The things drive you nuts, but you know, a hair here and a hair there, and we score 14 more points," Dilfer said.

'PORK CHOP' SERVED: Holmgren also lauded Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack, who has filled in at left tackle in Jones' absence, for coming back into the game Sunday after breaking a bone in his left hand.

"He showed me a lot, and those are the type of guys you can win with," Holmgren said.

Womack, who played most of the second half with a cast the size of a pork roast on his hand, will play with a cast for several more weeks until it has healed.

"He broke his hand early in the game, and came back with a 10-pound ball taped to his arm, and played well," Hutchinson said in awe. "He was basically out there, one-hand pass-protecting their starting defensive end all game. You can't ask for much more than that."

Womack said he hurt the hand on a running play, when he tried to throw a block and fell on it the wrong way.

Now Playing:

With Jones back, it's unclear where Womack will be used on the line. He's willing to play guard or right tackle.

0-3?The most recent time the Seahawks began 0-3 was 1996, when they finished 7-9. That was the year current owner Paul Allen purchased an option to buy the team.